Near to You
by bludormouse
Summary: Nami's not over Zoro, no matter how distant he is. How's his room mate going to comfort her...? By forcing her to have fun, of course! LuffyxNami, other pairings inside. AU with slight OOC-what AU doesn't have it? Not much of a downer for 'hurt/comfort'.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairings:** FrankyxRobin, ZoroxPerona, most definitely NamixLuffy

**Warnings: **Slightly adult themes, a lot of cussing, very PG-13, stereotypes of native americans and shooting figurines of them (along with stereotypial cowboys) in shooting galleries, **OOC dick-like Zoro**, _NEVER MPREG_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece, anything A Fine Frenzy does, or real life. I also don't own an elephant, but I am always open to donations. ;3

* * *

**Near to You**

_He and I had something beautiful,_  
_But so disfunctional, it couldn't last._  
_Loved him so, but I let him go_  
_cause I knew he'd never love me back._

_~A Fine Frenzy, 'Near to You'_

This was suppose to be simple.

She would force it to be uneventful, no matter how awkward it got, or how emotional she felt. She wouldn't let herself see that smirk on that egotistical bastards face-she wouldn't give anything away that would make him recognize that she wasn't over him yet. Because she was over him.

...Right?

Nami shook her head. After grueling minutes of pausing frozen at Zoro's door, the weight of the box in her hand hurting her wrist, she finally sucked in her anxious face to a determined one. She knocked on the door, and waited.

...And, waited.

She sighed, knocking harder this time. Was he going make her wait out here forever? Well, if he wasn't here, she'd just leave it here on the ground-

A voice came from the door: "Hold on, hold on-I'm coming."

Nami blinked, but before she could decipher why Zoro sounded so different, someone with wild black hair and monkey-like ears opened the apartment door.

He smiled sleepily at her, like he had just woken up. "Oh! Hey Nami."

Nami blinked in surprise. "L...Luffy? What are you doing here?"

Luffy sucked his bottom lip in and cocked his head. "What? I moved in with Zoro from my Gramps. Ace went off to melt stuff at art school. Didn't Zoro tell you?

An angry blush flashed across Nami's face. "He didn't tell me anything."

Luffy scratched his head, as if that fact confused him. She locked her jaw and added quickly, "Is Zoro here?"

"Eh? Um...no, he isn't." Luffy grinned. "He went to the seven eleven to get food-ah, do you want me to call him Nami-"

He was cut off from having an aged cardboard box shoved at his middle. "No!" Nami snarled. "And don't tell him I came over here, alright? Just put that in his room-Don't drop it, you idiot!"

Slightly too late-Luffy managed to grab the box before it hit the ground, but some of the contents still spilled out. Nami growled another "idiot" as he bent down to pick the stuff up.

"What is this stuff?" he said, as he picked up one of the random articles. "Eh? Boxers...?"

Nami's blush deeped. "They're clothes he left at my house, alright...? Just...just dump em somewhere."

"Eeeeh? Why you got Zoro's clothes? ...Laundry?"

Nami's fist steamed as she pounded it into Luffy's skull. "STUPID! Can't you hold anything in that sieve of a head of yours?"

The orange-haired young adult sighed, and bent over to pick up the rest of the clothes to store them back in the box. She looked up again, and Luffy was rubbing his chin and thinking.

"Hmm..." He rubbed his chin and furrowed his brow further. "...mystery reason?"

He was hit again. "IDIOT!"

Two lumps appeared on the back of his head-he rubbed them and whined loudly: "Ow...Nami! Why ya keep hitting me!"

"Shut up! How can Zoro's best friend not remember who his last girlfriend was?" While Luffy continued to whine pitifully, Nami snarled. He was one of the last people she wanted to see right now-now she was too pissed to see straight. Why couldn't this be smooth sailing?

"Oi, Luffy?" said a gruff voice behind her. "Is my ex knocking you around again?"

'Shit!' Nami froze when Zoro's voice came from behind her. She slowly turned around, and he was smirking at her-_how I hate that damn smirk of his!-_with, more irritatingly, a pink-haired goth girl draping over his shoulder. While she stared at the other girl, Luffy was behind her chattering away.

"Ey, Zoro! Hurry up and fix some food! ...Heh? Who's the girl?"

"Horo horo horo horo..." Leering, the girl smirked at Nami, who finally veered her eyes away from the sight, away from Zoro's obvious progess in moving on.

She felt him coldly hit her shoulder as he brushed past her to address Luffy. "This is Perona." After a long pause, he finally felt it obligatory to give better introductions. "Perona, Luffy."

Luffy, picking his nose, dug his hand out of his nostrils and held it carelessly out to the girl. "Nice to meet ya."

Perona crinkled her nose, not bothering to comply. "...How uncute."

Her green-haired boyfriend snickered, leading her to the door. "That's Luffy." Suddenly, his leg hit the box of clothes lying in the middle of his door way. He looked down and untangled himself from Perona to pick it up. "Eh? What's this?"

Nami flushed. Yet before she could say anything, Luffy said brightly, "Nami brought it over. It's your clothes-from your sleepovers."

Zoro looked at Nami-up and down. His eyes were cold, but his mouth twitched at some internal joke. It made her face flame up in anger. "Oh. Hey, thanks."

Nami couldn't speak. She didn't want to think why him saying that made her feel so happy. What was wrong with her? All she could do was stutter around, trying to find something to say.

Perona frowned, not happy, but Zoro grinned when he turned from the embarrassed Nami to look at her. Leaning over, he intimately whispered something in her ear. Slowly, her frown into a mocking smile, aimed straight at Nami.

Nami stopped, furious. She immeadiately tried to hide her hurt under a blank face and clenched fists-she could just imagine what he was saying to her. And to think he was her first time! A year wasted-what had she been thinking? Hell, what was she thinking now? She tried to defend herself, "I...thought you weren't home."

Zoro snorted. "Yeah, sure." He turned to Luffy. "Sorry, man-you're going to have to get your own dinner."

The kid's jaw dropped instantly. "Wha? Whhhhyyyy?"

A wierd smile quirked on his room mate's lips. "I got...sidetracked from seven eleven, and bumped into Perona at a bar. So you're going to have to use your own money and get some food yourself."

"But, Zoro-"

Suddenly, Zoro's voice dropped. He hissed in Luffy's face, "You might also want to goof off with something for the next couple of hours-me and her are going to be here, and we're going to be very _busy_..."

"Yea, but-"

"_BUSY_." And with that, he shoved Luffy out and slammed the door on both his and Nami's face.

-x-

Instantly, Luffy was pouting. "Jeez...I'm hungry." As if on cue, his stomach growled. He sourly rubbed it, and sighed.

Nami wasn't listening. She was too busy standing like rigid stone in front of the door, disbelief clouding her eyes. Finally, the orange-haired girl bit her lip to hide her tears-she quickly turned to leave.

She didn't expect Luffy to reach out and grab her wrist. "Ey Nami! Wait-"

She instantly snatched her wrist from him. "Leave me alone, Luffy-fucking annoying me!"

Nami could barely see through her murky vision, but somehow she managed to shake him off in the apartment complex's hallway, watching the elavator doors close on his face. She sighed, pushing her back on the wall as the machine hummed to life. This had not gone smoothly, she thought.

In the empty elavator, the tears finally came. She put her hands to her face, trying to stop them-they came either way, in huge hot globs. God, why was she getting so upset? Why? All she could think of...was how they had used to be, her and Zoro. She was so frustrated with herself, but so hurt at the same time that she barely cared at the fool she was making of herself.

She had never loved someone like she had loved Zoro-she had never felt jealousy, or this intense need to be near someone, even if they didn't want her around. It was a feeling so tangible, it racked her body with her hurt and pleasure, begging to shatter her to touch something that was untouchable.

'I want it to end,' she kept wailing in her head, her shoulders shaking as she continued crying. 'I hate him...I hate him so much. He just keeps making fun of me, and I just keep taking it. Why...? Why am I doing this to myself?'

The 'ping' of the last few floors rang in the tiny box. She sniffed, sucking in her tears and trying to pull herself together. She was rubbing her face and sighing to relieve the pent up emotions when the doors opened again. There, in front of her, was Luffy.

He was bent over, panting and sweating. She wondered if he had run down the twenty flights of stairs to get here, but her thoughts were interupted when he finally caught his breath to speak.

He looked up into her red-rimmed eyes, still panting a little. "Na...Nami...Do..."

She waited, a little impatiently. The exit was behind him, and he was blocking her path.

"Do...Do you have any money I can borrow?"

Nami deadpanned. And she had thought...but her face looked... and did he just...! Slowly she felt a pulsing vien appear at her neck. Her fist clenched automatically as she raised it.

"...BASTARD!"

The front doors of the building slammed open with a 'BANG' as Luffy was nearly catapulted into busy traffic. He slammed hard into the sidewalk, skidding across on his face and scaring a few innocent pedestrians. "Nnnn..." he groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up.

The clapping of heels on cement caught his attention. He looked up just as Nami stepped down the front steps in a huff and coldly walked away down the street. He was almost instantly at her heels. "Oi! Wait up!"

Nami snorted. "Go away. You already owe me money-with interest. I'm not loaning you anymore!"

"Aww! Don't say that-look, I promise promise PROMISE I'll pay you back...just wait till I get my paycheck from Franky and Usopp's garage next week. Please...?

Nami stopped when he blocked her way again, hands clasped and looking pitifully up at her with those puppy dog eyes of his. Her face twisted; _damnit_, she thought. _Not _thelook_!_ She always hated _the look_-he had used it ever since he, she, and the others had been in high school. And every time, she had been a sucker for it.

_Well_, said a tiny voice needling in her head. _Sooner or later, he does pay us back.._. She shook her head, irked, but the voice wouldn't let up. Finally, she sighed in defeat. Yet she didn't let up glaring at him as she said, "...Alright."

Instantly, _the look _was replaced with a huge, childlike grin. He watched her rifle through her purse, his gratitude barely contained in his voice while Nami completely ignored him. "Ey, thanks Nami! You're the best!"

Grudgingly, she shoved twenty bucks into his hand. "Here. Now, leave me alone alright? I mean it."

Luffy didn't say anything, but turned around to watch her brush past and head to the Baratie. His feet soon carried him in the exact same direction.

-x-

"...Why did you end up following me?"

Nami was addressing the best friend of her ex, who was sitting across from her at a Baratie table, obnoxiously stuffing his face with twenty dollars worth of food. He swallowed and grinned, while she held her chin in her hand and picked at a light cheesecake in before her. "Zoro said I needed to goof off...but I got nothin' to do. So I've come to see what your plans were-"

"What makes you think I'd want you in my plans?" She sneered. All this yelling at him was making her throat start to hurt. She grumbled incoherrently in her drink as Luffy whined.

"Naaaami! You're so meeeeaaaaannnn-"

"Nami-swaaan!"

Suddenly, Sanji appeared at thier table. The tall blond was dressed in his kitchen attire, yet balancing trays on his arms like a waiter. She wasn't surprised to see him. Ever since his last year of high school, he had been working at the restaurant and other odd jobs to pay towards a chance to own a restaurant.

He was grinning goofily at Nami, as he cooed, "I am overflowing with rich emotions at your glowing presence coming here to visit me! Can I get you anything-a free drink, or another desert? Ask and I will be a slave to your beauty-"

"It's alright Sanji-kun," Nami politely replied, quick to cut him off. "I'm fine for now."

He smiled, this time looking less like a goof and more like a friend. "I'm surprised to see you here, Nami-swan. You haven't visited much since you dumped that shitty marimo bastard. That damn bastard-I still can't believe he..."

While Sanji continued talking, Nami felt the frown she couldn't hide crawl into her face. She had forgotten that Sanji already knew. Shit, did that bastard feel like he had to tell everyone? Well, at least Sanji made her not feel like the bad guy. What could she do? It was either dump him to save her feelings, or stick with him and unrequited love. That was the price of dating a best friend gone 'player'.

Trapped in her thoughts, the oranged haired girl nearly missed what Sanji said next.

"...only came here with a date. Hey, you're not dating this shitty bastard, are you?"

When Nami saw him pointing at the oblivious Luffy, her eyes widened. She choked on her drink. After a few minutes of coughing, and Sanji hovering her in a guilted frenzy, she finally managed to choke out, "N-NO! What? Sanji-kun, what are you saying? Of course not!"

Luffy's voice brightly rang out from the other side of the table. "Yea, she's paying for my dinner!"

"WHAT?"

Sanji's roar was followed by his foot kicking straight into Luffy's chair. The black-haired grease monkey was knocked off with an 'oomph', and Sanji followed him to shout in his face: "YOU SHITTY SHITASS SHITHEAD-HOW DARE YOU MAKE A LADY PAY FOR YOUR MEAL? Bastard, you want manners kicked into that thick head of yours? HAH?"

"Sanji!" Nami frantically squealed under her breath. "Stop it, it's alright...he's paying me back. For crap's sake, you're making a scene...!" She didn't have to turn that much around to prove this. Eyes were boring into Nami's back by the many faces turned in thier seat to watch the sous chef beat senseless on of the restaurant's patrons. Obviously the one's who faces weren't frozen in shock were veterans of this place.

The blond looked up in disappointment. "Yeah, but-"

"OI! LITTLE EGGPLANT!"

Sanji cringed bitterly at the voice screaming from the kitchen at him: "YEA, _YOU_! STOP DICKING OFF AND GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW! We're short of hands!"

The sous chef's eye brow twitched as he turned around to shout back, "I'll be in there in a second, you old geezer! Gimme a minute..."

Sanji sighed, muttering under his breath. When he looked back at Nami, his temper instantly flip-flopped. He sighed. "Seems I'm being called back, Nami-swan...I am forced to leave your side. But please, do not hesitate to ask for me if there's anything you need."

Nami felt like rolling her eyes, but instead she shot him an illuminating smile. "Thank you, Sanji-kun."

Instantly, as if she had shot an arrow at his chest, he charged to the kitchen in a flurry of hearts, noodle-dancing the entire way while singing "Mellorine~! Mellorine~!"

Luffy was hyucking when he got back to his chair. As usual, physical damage never phased him. "Hyeeah ha ha-What a funny guy."

He was talking to deaf ears. Nami was too consumed with thinking of what Zoro was doing right now, jealousy churning her stomach so hard she was in danger of making a sobbing mess of herself in the middle of the Baratie. She sniffed, and snapped her head to the enormous windows their round booth was beside. It helped-she turned her eyes up at the evening sky, paying more attention to the mixing hues of twilight and finally finding some peace.

Her peace was quickly broken. Like nails on a chalkboard, Luffy's voice scratched in the inner cavities of her ears. "Ey," he said, around a mouthful of food packed in his hamster-like cheeks. "Oo onna eet dat?"

The orange-haired woman glanced down to see what he was referring to. His fork pointed at her half-eaten cheescake. She looked back at the window, muttering, "Yea, I don't care."

"Shishishi!" She could hear him drag the dessert plate over to his side and began noisily consuming it. Whatever-she didn't mind. Hopefully he would find her to be boring company, and just leave. That would be a heavensent.

Nami returned to looking at the window, but quickly lost interest in the sky. Suddenly, blinking lights across the street caught her eye. Enormous thin structures in the empty grass lot were being lit up for some sort of fair-it's seemed the annual festival had come to town again this summer. 'Wow,' she thought to herself. 'I'd completely forgotten it was that time of year.'

Gradually, swells of people began lapping up at the entrance-families laughing with the zeal of thier wide-eyed children, groups of rowdy high schoolers meeting and traveling amongst friends...and finally, something she didn't feel like seeing. Couples, fingers interlaced with another's, laughing, leaning on each other in the fluorescent glow. She looked away, feeling sick. Maybe she should just go home-a nice bubble bath, a half-read harlequin book, and a few teeboed episodes of mind-numbing reality shows would probably make this evening just a glimmer of a memory. She turned her head to tell Luffy she was paying her bill and leaving-sorry, that's just life.

Yet his voice was in her ear. "Nami, you okay?"

She nearly jumped three feet in the air-he had been pratically breathing in her ear, so close from scooching to sit near her, and talking so low. He grinned at her face, perhaps at how she had reacted. Yet his attention was captured by the window, leaving her no time to react.

"Hey! The fair's here. I didn't even-" Suddenly, his mouth dropped and his eyes sparkled. "WHOA! They gotta rollercoaster this year! EHHH? And BUMPER CARS! SO COOL!"

The orange haired girl rolled her eyes at his childlike enthusiams. _Over rusty metal death traps...sigh. _Suddenly, a thought occured to her, making her blood boil. She said in a low voice, "If you think I'm giving you more money to go over there, you're wrong."

He pouted. "I didn't say that."

While she blinked incredulously, he grinned. "Come with me!"

Nami crossed her arms. "I can't, I'm busy."

"With what?" He tilted his head.

She opened her mouth, then slowly closed it. She had nothing. Scoffing, Nami retorted, "I just don't want to go, Luffy. Why can't you understand? I don't want to hang out today!"

"Well why not? Is something bothering you?"

Nami's face froze; he had hit the bulls-eye, the thick-headed dunce. Ofcourse something was bother her-she was brimming over with unbottled rage and jealousy, and it was eating her alive while she sat in her seat. Yet she couldn't tell him that, right? She knew Luffy pretty well...hell, almost better than anyone. She knew he wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt her; yet she also knew about his _big mouth_. If she admited anything to do with the real reason that was bothering her, would he blab it to Zoro? Nami could imagine that bastard's ego swell in her face, having found more things to whisper to his flaky girlfriends' ears: "She still can't get over me" "So sad" "I feel so bad for her..."

She sucked in her bottom lip. Definitely couldn't let that happen.

Luffy's eyes caught her attention again, huge and puppylike. "Come on! Please? Pleeeease...?"

_Must...turn away...eyes..._ Nami tried to turn her head, but...damn, it wouldn't work. She opened her mouth, and words started coming up. "Ah...well..."

_Damn him!_

_

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_

**A/N: I have no idea why I veered from Onederland to write this. I blame the enormous number of songs on the radio about unrequited love playing one right after another. Curse you music, my eternal muse! (Real life also had a ploy in this...the song 'Near to You' didn't directly, though, but the lyrics fit it right? Well, maybe not...but in the next last part they will.)**

**Yea, so...no wanton romance in this part. :3 But I'm one of those people who likes romances to drag out-love at first sight is a myth to me, and rushed romances are only good in musicals. ...And black and white comedies (See the 'Road to insert country here'). So, yea, romance in the end. Not in the beginning. First there must be Zoro looking like a tool.**

**MY APOLOGIES TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF ZORO FANGIRLS I MIGHT HAVE PISSED OFF! o.o Don't kill me with your katanas of deathz. (I just like him less than Luffy, Franky, Sanji, and Ussopp! T.T)**

**Dearest reader, our time in these notes are ending. However, I would deeply appreciate in hearing YOUR thoughts on this piece of bandwith. Please review-constructive criticism is most welcomed! (I.E., I am screaming at you to flame me. FLAME. ME. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ. *constructively!*)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A / N:**

**While doing the final draft, I realized how impossible it was for a fair to have a rollercoaster-was I on drugs when I wrote this? Yet, I have a solution: Crocodile's hosting as the main benefactor. Why? Because giving money to terminally ill kids to make the public love him is _sooo_ his style. He probably poses in pictures with them, then shoves them into garbage cans and orders Robin to 'dispose of the filth'. And he'd ABSOLUTELY have a rollercoaster at his fundraiser, right? Exactly. =v=**

**The duck is from Strong World-GO AND FIND THAT MOVIE, DEAR READER! I saw it... v and it was the best One Piece movie I've ever seen! I love Biri, so I HAD to put him in a fic. I secretly want him to somehow be a new crewmember... *v* (the only thing I hated was Franky's continued lack of screen time...DANG IT ODA!)**

**Disclamier: I do not own One Piece or A Fine Frenzy...if I owned One Piece, Franky would give long ass monologues, every other arc (or sometimes randomly in arcs) would have a filler of him being his lovable self in a small plot, and a lot more Frobin fanservice. *yes, I am that crazy of a fangirl* ADHERE TO MY DEMANDS, ODA! **

* * *

**Near to You**

_Near to you, I am healing  
But it's taking so long-  
Cause though he's gone and you are wonderful,  
It's hard to move on.  
Yet,  
I'm better near to you._

_~A Fine Frenzy, 'Near to You'_

_H...How does he_ DO _that? _Nami thought, being dragged via her wrist by Luffy's hand towards the entrance of the fair. They went right past the empty ticket booth. Amazingly enough, all the rides were free of charge, for money was taken as donations to some drive for some hospital for kids. The ginger's money focused mind thought this poor ethics-who had a rollercoaster for a donation drive, even a small one such as the one hulking over its neighbors? Yet she couldn't ignore the bulging donation box at the entrance, having to be replaced by a volunteer with an empty one.

Luffy's eyes were glittering again under the lights of the lane of game booths and eatery stalls, swishing his head back and forth to look at everything. He would try to beg her to go to every single booth they came to, to which each time she shook her head and said 'no'. He didn't get very disappointed with her answer; as frustratingly usual, before she would even utter her response he would get so distracted by the booth next door or across from it that he'd instantly forget and run to the latter instead, red-head in tow. It was extremely irritating-a nerve twitched in her neck.

Finally, the excitable grease monkey spotted a vendor of turkey legs. He instantly started salivating. "MEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAT-"

Nami's stopped his mid-aired dive with her fist. "IDIOT!" she screeched, standing over his crumpled body. "Didn't you just eat?"

He rubbed his head, sitting up. "But I'm hungry again..."

She scoffed, saying nothing as Luffy quickly spotted something and scampered off towards it. "Honestly."

Suddenly, something made her look over her shoulder. A familiar patch of green on someone's head had caught her eye; over the tops of the crowns of the crowd, she could see it bob next to a pink blur. Looking closer, it was Zoro. She felt her gut sink. He was there with Perona, his arm around her waist and holding her close while laughing his ass off at something she had said. They were headed to the rides on the other side of the fair.

Nami quickly looked away. Some piece of her deep inside had dropped down to her feet, and she looked down helplessly as if looking for it. Her legs shook, anxious to turn heel and run the opposite direction. She felt her head heat up again, as if she was about to cry. Thankfully, Luffy's voice brought her back to Earth.

"Oi-Nami!" When she looked up, he was grinning from ear to ear at her, in front of a game vendor; a shooting gallery. "Look at this!"

The ginger snorted. She glanced it over, with its shady dealer, the vintage tin targets of western cowboys and indians, and the BB guns lined up on the counter in front of it. 'Unimpressive,' she thought, and was about to say so outloud until she saw the main prize, hanging at the top of the booth. Some sort of bird, a burnt orange in the shade of a mikan, and looking like a cross between a duck and a peacock. Her eyes widened. Somehow, impulsivity coursed through her. Without a second thought, she was in the dealer's face, pointing up at it.

"What do I have to do for the duck thing?" she cried earnestly.

The guy running the booth liesurely looked up to where she pointed, then gave her an oily smile. "Well, Miss...all ya got to do to win it, is knock down the Big Chief over there."

Nami looked to where he thumbed, at a tiny target of a native american chief burrowed in the middle of the targets. His arms were crossed and he held a scowl, making him look very stereotypical from old westerns, and very silly. Yet, he also looked like a very easy target. Tempted, the ginger frowned. She wasn't sure of the cost...this guy seemed shify, and there was probably a catch-

Luffy slapped a buck in the guy's hand. "I'll try."

Nami guffawed at Luffy, as he took the bullets he was handed and loaded his gun. "Eh? Since when did you get more money?"

He had a confident grin as he loaded his gun and eyed the targets. "You want the bird, right? Don't worry, I'll get it."

She stared at him incredulously. However, her look changed at what the dealer said next.

"Oh ho ho!" he cried, smirking. "What a nice boyfriend you have there missy!"

Nami flushed, outraged. "He's not my boyfriend!" she snapped.

The man visibly shrank at her rage. "Alright, alright-take it easy now."

She huffed, watching him sheepishly turn the machine on to start the game. The aged lights blinked weakly, and the machine creaked. She skeptically watched Luffy as he lifted his gun to aim, his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. His gun shook every which way; 'what a waste of money', she thought blandly to herself.

'PING! ...PING! PING!'

Nami's jaw dropped, while Luffy lifted his arms in triumph. He..._he actually hit it_?

"Yosh!" he confirmed, overjoyed. "I HIT IT!"

"You hit it!" Without thinking, Nami was jumping up and down excitably clapping her hands. She grabbed his neck and hugged him, laughing. "I can't believe you did it! Hahaha!"

"Gack...Nami..." Luffy's muffled voice came from her throat. "You're...kind of choking me..."

"Oop...Sorry." Nami let him go. He regained his feet, matching her expression and hyucking his head off. Even though she had calmed down, she couldn't settle the ridiculous grin on her face. "Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"Hyah ha, Usopp gave me a few hints a while ago. Hey, oily guy-can my friend have that duck-thing up there now?"

Nami turned around expectantly, but the man's smirk put her off.

"Oh ho ho-no can do, kid."

Luffy's face clouded with confusion. "Heh?"

The ginger beside him narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean...?"

The man started laughing, but it was cut short when Nami got in his face, her finger inches from between his eyes. "You _saw_ it, didn't you...? He hit that thing _twice_-there's a dent right there to prove it!"

The man lifted his hands up, as if he was the victim. "Hey hey, missy...don't blame an honest business man. If you'll remember correctly, what I _said was_ that you had to knock the Big Chief _down_. Now...does that look like the Chief's _down_ to you...?"

"Well ofcourse he's not down."

Nami's heard Luffy's voice come from a different place than next to her. She turned around, and there he was, standing in the booth amongst the targets.

The man instantly lost it, pointing visciously at him. "H-Hey! You can't be back there!"

Luffy huffed, ignoring the guy. He muttered under his breath, as if to himself. "Yea, see...that's where I hit it. But this thing's welded to the thing-it won't budge with a gun."

The man flushed. "B...Bastard," he snarled. "Get from there! Stop touching that!"

Nami watched as Luffy grunted, bending back the piece of metal enclosed in his fist and making the guy squeal at his upper body strength. When he ended up bending it back too far, breaking it off, he looked surprised. "Oh...really rusty."

"YOU IDIOT!" the guy shrieked. "You just broke my machine!"

"Hmmm...seems like its down now."

The man's eye twitched. He watched Luffy contentedly pick at his ear, no hint of remorse in his straightforward demeanor, and finally growled, "You rude little bastard...just how are you going to pay me back for this? My thirty year long business is ruined because of you!"

"Hmph. Must've been thirty long years of shady business..."

The guy looked down. Nami was still in his space, but this time she was coyly looking up at him. She purred, "Pay you back? Do you really think we should...? After all, I don't think the benefactors for this event will be too pleased that you're cheating other people's money in a charity fair...we might feel it our civil duty to go to them and report this incident...and then there's the police's obvious involvement."

Beads of sweat appeared on the man's face. He gulped.

-x-

A few minutes later, Nami was brightly skipping beside Luffy, laughing and hugging 'Biri' the duck thing to her chest. "What a pigeon-I got our money back, with interest! Hahaha!"

Luffy, however, was pouting. He was childishly leering at the bills clutched in her fist. "Hey...wasn't that my money?"

She smirked. Stuffing the bills into her pocket, she replied, "Stupid-this is going to your tab."

Luffy huffed. He crossed his arms and looked away, completing the effect of his pout.

Nami laughed at his face. "Don't be upset," she chided. "In a way, I managed to make some money for you. It's all going into your interest rate, ofcourse."

Luffy grinned at a sudden thought. "Hey! We can use some of that for more food and games! Right?"

The ginger scoffed. "You should stop spending money as soon as you get it. Learn to save it!"

"Whaaaat? But that's boring!"

"Who cares? Maybe then you'd stop bumming of friends for cash!"

"Oi! You guys!"

Both of the two old friends turned around. "Usopp! Chopper!"

The long-nosed mechanic, still in his grease stained overalls from work, waved as Nami and Luffy came towards him. In his arms was a load of game prizes, obviously his bounty from his skill at aiming. Chopper was beside him, munching on some cotton candy.

"Hey," he said. "Did you guys just get here?"

"Luffy!" Chopper cried. "You never visit at the clinic anymore! Where have you been?"

The bedheaded goof off groaned. "Usopp and Franky at work don't gimme much freetime. And Gramps works me like a dog with his physical training..."

Usopp's face grew shrewd. "Oi oi, don't make it sound like I'm the bad guy-it's only the three of us at the shop afterall."

Yet Luffy wasn't paying attention. His eyes glimmered at the wisp of pink sugar Chopper held, and he was salivating again. "Oooh!" he cried. "Chopper, can I have some of that!"

Chopper quickly moved his cotton candy out of reach. Meanwhile, Luffy got a smack across the back of his head from Usopp.

"Ey, get your own!" he shouted.

"Shishishishi!"

Nami stood near them, watching them interact and play like a group of brothers. They talked excitably amongst themselves, with the long-nosed mechanic holding most of the sway to the conversation. He noticed her Biri, and mentioned a booth that everyone was saying the guy working it was shady. This was swiftly answered agreeably by Luffy and Nami, who chorused a 'yea, we know'. She laughed with them, unable to lose the smile on her face.

"Hey," she finally said, while Usopp, flailing about, was put in a headlock by a hyucking Luffy over some matter from work. "Is Robin here?"

Chopper, who was beside her, brightly replied, "Yea! We just saw her. She's here with Franky-they're dating now, you know?"

Nami blinked incredulously, while Chopper paused in thought. "Wow...you think you know a friend," she muttered. Her and that hyperactive guy? Unreal.

She looked down to see Chopper cautiously pointing between her and Luffy: "Hey, um...you and Luffy aren't also-"

He almost instantly stopped. Nami's face was so ferocious that slowly, the small brunette started to cry.

Usopp quickly intervened-he grabbed his pal, who was frozen to the spot, and dragged him away. "Um, yeah," he said hurriedly, booking it. "I guess we'll just give you guys some alone time...see ya!"

"Nami scary..." Chopper kept muttering, shivering. "Nami scary...scary..."

Nami watched them retreat in terror, a frown on her face. And just as her mood had been improving...jeez.

The confused Luffy beside her cocked his head, also watching them. "Eh?" he said. "Why'd they leave...?"

The ginger sighed. Did she have to spell everything out for him?

Obviously not-he snapped his head to a different direction, at the glaring lights and the thrilled screams a few yards away. His head quickly turned back to her. While she questioningly looked at him, he grabbed her arm and started pulling her by her elbow towards the hubub. "Ey! Ey Nami-lets ride some rides now! Kay? Come on!"

Warily, Nami rolled her eyes. "Luffy," she mumbled. "...I think I'm just going to head back to my apartment. I'm really tired-"

His grin was in her face. "Just a few rides-I promise! Then we can go back. Really!"

An enormous sigh later, she gave up. Obviously she had lost her input to his self-iteneray long ago, so she just let herself be dragged to the flashing lights ahead. She didn't expect herself to be much of a fun person tonight, but maybe Luffy wouldn't care. He was a 'fun factory' afterall.

-x-

"KYAAAAA! LUFFY! I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR FORCING ME ON THIS THING!"

The tilt-o-whirl picked up in speed, and Nami receded into just screams. She gripped onto the bars for dear life. Luffy was lying next to her, hands thrown up and hyucking his head off.

_Shit shit shit shit shit...what if the screws come lose?_ All the ginger could see was them tilting to thier deaths, the entire rickety machine falling apart. This was madness-she squinted her eyes closed and gripped the bars until her knuckles were white, praying for it to stop.

Finally, it did. She quickly hopped off with Luffy, and landed on solid ground.

Very...slanted solid ground.

Everything was spinning. She put her hand to her head and suddenly found herself sitting on the ground. She winced as her butt hit wet ground from the rain before. 'Great...now my butt's caked in dirt.'

The dizziness left her, and she opened her eyes. Luffy's hand was in her face-he wanted to help her up. She grabbed it gratefully. He launched her onto her feet-too bad she lost her balance in the end and began falling forward. With a small cry, she hit something hard. And warm. Suddenly, she was submerged in Luffy's smell, and realized that he had caught her with his chest. Her face turned beet red; it turned even redder when his arms circled around her shoulders and held her tight.

He was laughing, like it was nothing. "That was great! Oooh! Lets go on the roller coaster!"

Nami mind was flustered, but somehow she could hear herself laughing. "Luffy," she cried. "Let go! This is uncomfortable!"

She playfully pushed against his toned, lithe chest with her hands, but he wouldn't budge. She looked up, and he was grinning. "Shishishi-oh, hey! Isn't that Zoro?"

Nami stopped. She turned her head slightly to where Luffy was gesturing at; Zoro was up ahead of them, Perona talking away at his side while he just stared...at them. Almost sharing the same wide-eyed expression she had. The ginger flushed while Luffy guffawed a laugh and waved.

"ZORO!" he shouted. "Hey, Zoro! Come over-"

Nami giving him a hard push to get off made him stop. He looked at her, confused, but she was looking away, pretending to be busy observing something else.

"Nami? Somethin' wrong?" His voice seemed almost concerned. What was she saying? He was always concerned; it just took a while for her to take him seriously, even after knowing him for so long.

Nami crossed her arms and rubbed her hands up and down them, as if she was cold. "I...I just don't feel like getting on a rollercoaster, is all. My...stomach hurts."

She glanced up. Zoro was still looking at them, yet turned away with a shrug when he and Perona entered one of the cars of the ride. She sighed, then noticed how quiet it had gotten. Odd-she had expected Luffy to be already whining about it.

She was surprised when he finally uttered his reply, straightforwardly: "Ah, I see-you're sick."

At the tail end of that, he brightened and said, "Well, I guess we can just skip it."

Nami blanched. _Just...skip it?_

Luffy snickered, probably at her face. "Wanna go on the carousel? It'll make your tummy hurt less."

Without thought, she opened her mouth. "Sure...why not?"

"Great!" He began heading to the kiddie-ish rides left of the thrill ones. Nami, after a moment's pause, quickly caught up with him to walk side by side.

-x-

Nami rode all the slow rides with Luffy, not seeing Zoro again and actually having a good time. Her mood definitely picked up at the bumper cars, which she took advantage of in using them to take out her wrath on Luffy for dragging her to the fair in the first place. Through the jostling and the hissing of electric motors screeching around in the small room, she found herself having spasms of hysterical laughter, breaking past her competitive grin while she chased Luffy in her car.

They left, and instantly hopped onto other rides. She forced Luffy on a ride crowded with people sitting on the boat, and snickered at his face as he nearly lost his lunch when they flipped over. Another ride was the teacups-Luffy went insane with the spinning and made Nami nearly faint between lack of oxygen in laughing and screeching for him to stop before they flew off. He just laughed, squished up against her as they spun around and around.

After that, they did a string of kiddy rides before coming to one that Nami insisted on-the swing ride.

Before Bellemere's death, her foster mother had annually made trips to the fair with her and her sister, buying tickets with what little money she saved and letting them chose thier rides. Nami always spent her money on the swing ride-Nojiko made fun of her, but she didn't care. When she and Luffy got on the ride, she absently muttered under her breath about how she loved this ride-it gave her the sense of flying.

If Luffy had heard, he didn't say anything. He just sat there quietly, until happily demanding the ride to start while he swung back and forth as if it was a real swing.

He got a punch to the head for that, for 'nearly breaking the damn ride, dumbass!'

After a few other thrills, they finally came to the ferris wheel. The duo headed towards it, talking so excitedly and animatedly with each that they didn't seen Zoro and Perona in the line in front of them until he spoke:

"Oi-you guys having fun?"

The ginger stopped in her tracks. She looked up at her ex's smirking face, with his pink-haired shadow standing behind him.

Luffy grinned at his best friend. "Hey! Yeah, we're having a great time. Did you get your 'mystery business' done in the apartment?"

Nami blanched at him; Zoro knowingly smirked while Perona giggled. The ginger recovered quickly, feeling the leers they mentally gave her. She tried careless small talk: "There are alot more rides here than last year, I think. Guess that's thanks to Sir Crocodile."

"Did you go on the rollercoaster?" Luffy cried. "That thing is awesome-I nearly barfed through my nose!"

Nami's head snapped around. "Eh? If you felt sick, why the hell did you sit next to me?"

Luffy laughed. "Don't worry, I would've turned my head."

Nami facepalmed. "That doesn't make it any better! The other people...eww, nevermind. I told you not to eat so many turkey legs and hot dogs before you rode it!"

The ginger happened to look up. Zoro was cocking his eyebrow at her, surprised. "Wait," he said. "You...actually rode something like that? I thought you always said that fair rides were portable death traps..."

"Hm?" Luffy turned to Nami. "Then why did we ride it twice?"

She grinned sheepishly. "I found them to be...not so bad."

Her ex frowned, but suddenly looked over thier heads. "Oh, hey Robin."

Nami looked over her shoulder, then turned around. "Hey! There you are. How long have you been standing here?"

Robin, behind the other's in line with Franky's arm holding her intimately close by the waist, smiled. "Not long."

The cyan-haired giant beside her grinned. "Suuper, you guys are here! Hey, have you seen Chopper and Usopp?"

"Yeah!" Luffy piped up, excited at seeing more of his friends. He suddenly eyed the huge thing Franky was carrying under his thick arm. It seemed to be a hideous-looking plush cobra. Instantly, his eyes sparkled. "Whoa! Franky, did you win that?"

Franky frowned. "Yes, and _no_ you can't have it. It's Robin's."

At this information, the ginger turned to the older woman and gave her a dry look. Robin just shrugged. "I think it's cute."

Franky huffed. "You would."

"Says the 'mature adult' who had to have his face painted..."

Conciously, he put a huge hand to his cheek. It had a large blue star outlined with yellow on it, to which Nami was pointing out. While Robin put her hand over her mouth to suppress a smirk, he grinned. "What? _She_ put me up to it."

"I absolutely deny that."

"Heehee...Oh yeah, just remembered." Franky dug through his jacket pocket for a second, before finally pulling out a wad of cash. He handed it to Luffy. "Here's this week's pay. Sorry, I nearly forgot."

"Oh!" Luffy took it from the lax head mechanic, smiling gratefully. "Hey, thanks boss!"

Without hesitation, he turned around and handed it all to Nami, forcing her hand open to take it. She looked at him as if he was crazy-_he hadn't even counted any of it_-but took it all the same. "Here Nami-does this clear my debt?"

After stiffly counting it, she nodded. "Yeah, thanks," was her quiet reply.

Zoro's snickering behind her was like nails on a chalkboard to her brain.

"What," he said. "Did Nami debt you into going to the fair with her, Luf...?"

Nami flushed with anger. She turned around to mouth off something to 'that dick'-she was so sick of his mouth...! Yet, Luffy interupted:

"Actually, no. We're here on a date."

Silence quickly ensued.

* * *

**A/N: o0o Aw snap-WHAT DID LUFFY SAY? Yea, I had to end this chapter somewhere, or it would be 7,000 something words long. x.x The rough draft was 5000-why is this taking more than two? Seems I suck at short one-shots...**

**Thank you for reading, dearest reader! Last chapter coming soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: o0o Wow, this took a while. Too much pressure, dearest reader-this entire week, I just did NOT have the romance bug. It took a random Sunday night to finally seize me and force me to write like a MADWOMAN. I said no to plans with a dude friend, ignored my cat until it had to sit on my face for me to feed her, and forgot dinner. Now I am hungry, but AT LEAST I FINISHED SOMETHING! *self goals for deh win 8D* Oh, it is a good day when Dormy finishes something on -my friends know it, because I bug the HECK out of them about it with my good mood. NOW TO FINALLY RETURN TO THAT HALF CHAPTER FOR ONEDERLAND! ...Maybe...I kinda, maybe, got distracted again. ^.^; *oh, dearest reader, its a miracle you don't kill me for my ADHDdom x.x***

**Anyways-enjoy the last chapter! Yes, this is the last chapter. Do you realize that this was only suppose to be a long one-shot? HOW DID IT GET SO LONG?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Oda's skillz are so much more ninja than mine...**

**

* * *

**

**Near to You**

_'You and I have something different,_

_and I'm enjoying it, cautiously._

_I'm battle-scarred, but I am_

_working oh so hard to get_

_back to who I used to be...'_

_~A Fine Frenzy_

Zoro's eyes widened. Next to him, Nami held the same flabbergasted expression.

"Lu...Luffy?" she squeaked, in a quiet pitch that probably only dogs could here.

Luffy grinned. He wrapped his arm around her waist, then pulled her against his chest. "Right, Nami?'

In response, the flushed ginger opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Finally, she managed to look at Zoro, who still seemed flabbergasted, and meeped, "Yea...right."

Luffy's grin widened.

Zoro still didn't speak, not even when it was thier turn in line. He had to be dragged by Perona into the car, and then he looked away to hear her berrating all the way up.

Robin's voice was what snapped Nami out of it: "Well...I guess that's that."

Franky slapped him on the back, effectively knocking the breath out of him. While Luffy bent over, wheezing, he grinned.

"Wait a go, kid. I'm so...so proud..." Suddenly, the huge man started tearing up. After a few sniffles, he had to cover his face with his arms as he fell into full-fledged sobs. "STUPID! I'M NOT CRYING!"

Robin was instantly at his side, letting him cry on her with a detached air while she watched Nami mechanically follow Luffy into the next car. Her usual enigmatic smile was on her lips.

'Have fun' she mouthed. Nami continued to look bewildered in reply.

-x-

Nami sat across from him, her back strategically to the direction of Perona and Zoro supposedly swapping spit. The ride hummed back to life, and they started ascending. She watched Luffy rolling in laughter as he regained his breath. "Hyuck ha ha! Those guys are funny."

The ginger just sat in silence across from him. Over his shoulder, she could see Franky and Robin, sitting close with their heads together as they talked. Her face was extremely heated-bewildered, she put a hand to her cheek. What...was she actually affected by this? She scrunched up her face in confusion, wondering at the flip flopping of her chestal cavity organs.

She didn't notice him when he stopped laughing until he was suddenly in her face, his lurch causing the car to swing. Her face flashed with surprise right as he leaned over closer to her. She could practically feel his breath on her cheeks.

"Hey..."

Nami blanched. She had wanted Zoro out of her mind all day today-right at this moment, it was _Zoro who? _Her eyes were wide and locked on Luffy.

He put a hand on her flushed forehead, causing her mind to go blanker. He had a serious, straightforward face: "You're not sick again, are you?"

Nami went from a soft pink to an annoyed red. She shooed his hand away, her voice snappish. "No, I'm not!"

Luffy put his hand away, but he barely leaned back. Instinctively, Nami inched away. He blinked and cocked his head. The air still held a heavy, serious air...or maybe it was all in her head.

They sat in silence, the ride moving soothingly around them. Finally, she blurted out, "Why did you say we were dating?"

Luffy blinked. "Is it a big deal that I did?"

A very red Nami huffed. Of course he was clueless-she had seen him as only Zoro's friend, but how could _she_ be so dense? "Yeah, it is! Idiot-now everyone will have the wrong idea about us!"

Luffy seemed even more confused. "Ehhh? I don't get it-something wrong with hanging out with a friend?

The ginger rolled her eyes. "That's not what 'dating' means."

"Then...what does it mean?"

"It means..." Nami stopped, sighing. "Nevermind Luffy. You don't need to know."

He became very quiet. It made her a little uncomfortable. Just as she thinking of something else to say, he muttered:

"...Does it bother you that much that I said it?"

Nami cocked her eyebrow. "Well...yeah, it sorta does." She sighed, continuing with dramatic hand movements, "Once again, your stupidity has caused another huge misunderstanding...now everyone thinks I'm going out with you-"

Almost insistently, he said, "Well, what if we really _were_ going out?"

She deadpanned. Then, for a moment, Nami pondered it. Going out with Luffy? She couldn't see it-he made her angry most of the time, right? Didn't she hate him?

_No you don't_, said the tiny voice deep inside her head. The tiny voice that had gotten her here in the first place. Damn meddling voices. _He's just never been more than Zoro's friend-one of your best friends, like Usopp or Sanji. We just kept him in the 'friend zone._

_Yea_, she retorted, completely stomping on the voice. _And there's a good reason why they're all in the 'friend zone'-Usopp's a liar, Sanji's a flirt, and Luffy's an COMPLETE. IDIOT!_

_And Zoro's an...asshole?_ sarcastically snarked the voice. _Is that why he was better?_

_SHUDDAP!_ she snarked back.

Returning to the real world, she put her hands in her lap in defeat of Luffy's ignorance.

"No," she groaned, "You're misunderstanding again..."

Nami nearly jumped out of her skin when his warm hand gripped hers. He was leaning over-Nami's skin felt tingly hot again. He still sounded insistent.

"No, I'm serious! We'll really go out-to the movies, the park, Sanji's work-"

Nami snapped, trying to interrupt him. "That's 'hanging out' Luffy! We already do that-there's a difference between 'hanging out' and 'going out'!"

Luffy huffed, looking a little frustrated, like a kid being talked down to by a misunderstanding adult. "I _know_ that! It _will_ be different!"

Nami locked her jaw, annoyed. "_How?"_

"Because we'll go on adventures-"

"WHAT?"

"-just you and me-"

Nami snarled, angry. She tried to push him back. "Just shut up, Luffy-"

He grabbed her battering hands, his face sharp as he shouted. "-_and I'll promise never make you cry, Nami_!"

That made Nami stop.

-x-

Some small, sensible part of her was glad for the plastic walls that muffled Luffy's shout in the car. That, coupled with the noise from the brightly lit world below.

Silence had ensued. He still hadn't let go of her wrist-she hadn't even bothered to struggle. He looked at her, still sharp, but waiting. He was still close, her back on the walls of the tiny car while he on the edge of his seat. Slowly, Nami's eyebrows furrowed deeper and deeper in confusion.

"Luffy...?" she finally uttered.

Luffy opened his mouth, as if to give straightforward reply, or an explanation. Yet he didn't get to it-the operator below suddenly thought it was a good time to stop the revolving ferris wheel with a jerk, having a line to facilitate and all. The jerk jolted Luffy right out of his seat, straight onto Nami.

By probable accident, his opened mouth of surprise met Nami's.

She blinked rapidly in shock, the car rocking wildly til it leaned sharply to the left from the weight. From the shift in balance, he was quickly fully in her seat. Her instincts must have been off, for she did not immeadiately shove him from her person. She instead shifted under him-he made no move to pull away in that split second.

Nami did-she leaned away from him. He comically blinked at her, as if he was deeply shocked. For some reason, she found it highly amusing. Oh, he was very much a dunce...not even he could have meant this on purpose.

A coy smirk suddenly flitted across her face. After a brief sweep of her hindrances, she lifted herself back up by her elbows, her lips pursed a little. She softly kissed him.

He looked even more bewildered. She could have laughed-she had meant it as a joke. Something to tease him about later, or blackmail him about. She completely did not expect him to kiss her back.

But, he did.

He grabbed her chin with his hand when she tried to pull away, tilted it up, and gave an equally gentle caress with his lips to hers. She surprised herself by welcoming it-what...what was she doing? Mmm, but his lips were soft-she had expected them to be chap, or rough. They moved smoothly across hers, with velvet purpose tingling with warmth. She had expected him to be sloppy; she found herself wondering what he would taste like.

Wondering turned into her kissing him back, which made him hum happily. The kissed deepened-good, because she didn't like him going slow. She was too curious. He weaved his arms around her waist, hugging her close. She wound her fingers in his mess of hair. His tongue darted at her lips, and she invitingly let him in. It slipped deliciously across hers. She found, in amusement, that he actually **did not **taste like meat-he did, however, taste addictive. Rich, even.

She traced her fingers across the back of his neck, feeling him shivered. Her lips twitched up with a smile at that. He pressed against her, and she leaned further into him. His smell was everywhere-of oil from his work and of the sea air from the nearby coast. Every ruffle of his hair released it around her, and she reveled in it. Slowly, she was sinking more and more into the electric warmth running across her nerve endings.

They did not notice the ride being over, or even where they were, until the door was wrenched opened for them and they were told by the conductor of the ride to get out already. Nami once again went from a pleasurable pink to red-a deeply embarrassed red. Luffy looked maddeningly unconcerned; he had only looked up to see what the disturbance was.

The ginger uncoiled herself, with Luffy's help, and left the ride. An unamused couple brushed past her, but she didn't notice. Her heads was extremely light. She looked down and recognized Luffy was leading her to the exit, his hand closed around hers. When had their fingers weaved together? She didn't bother untangling them.

Unthinkingly, she looked for Zoro. He must have already left; she couldn't see him in the crowd. Robin and Franky as well. She looked up at Luffy, almost meekly. To her intense satisfaction, she could see a sliver of pink running across his face. She grinned.

He grinned back, almost in relief. She randomly started laughing-this was somehow really funny. Maybe that was due to the fact that she felt like she was high on helium.

With a jerk of his arm like a rubber band, Luffy stopped her laugh short to curl her to his chest. His arm was around her, hugging her. Nami whined through her grin, wiggling in his grip with her back to him. "Hey, stop-Luffy!"

He didn't. Instead, he chuckled while nuzzling her neck.

"So," he said, breathing on her skin. "You wanna go out?"

For it to come from Luffy made her bubble with laughter. Never in a billion years had she ever expected something like that to come out of his mouth-especially not to her. Instead of answering, she suppressed her giggle fit and haughtily declared, "That's not how it works, stupid. There has to be a _first date _first."

"Hehhhhhhhhh?" Luffy cried, in a very Luffy-like manner. She rolled her eyes. The guy could kiss, but he knew nothing about dating? Suppressing a smile, she managed to writhe from his grip and lead him to the exit, the whole way explaining to him 'dating'.

-x-

Walking back to the apartments, Nami and Luffy walked side-by-side, talking animatedly like always as if nothing had happened. Luffy still kept saying stupid things, and Nami still kept punching him for it; the only difference now was that their hands were interlaced together, and she was smiling.

They quickly came to the door of his and Zoro's apartment. Nami could hear the blaring sounds of a video game coming from behind the thin door-seems Zoro had finished his date. She looked up, and Luffy grinned at her.

She smiled. "12 o'clock, Saturday, movies. You'll remember?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah yeah, I'll remember."

He won't remember. Nami mentally sighed, telling herself she would beat it into his head for the rest of the week to assure herself.

His grin widened. "Thanks for letting me tag along at the fair."

Her smile morphed to a smirk. "Idiot. Acting as if it was my idea."

"Well," he said, snickering. "It was still fun, right?"

Nami smiled, but did nothing except hug Biri. He didn't need an answer, it seemed; he turned and knocked the green-painted door, loud enough to probably wake the neighbors on the hall. A frown grew across her face-finally, indecision faded and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

Luffy turned around, rubbing where she kissed him. "Hah? What was that for?"

The ginger pouted, exasperated. "You know...idiot."

He cocked his head.

Suddenly, the door opened. Zoro poked his head out, and leered sleepily at his roomate. "Eh?" he muttered. "Did you lose the key?"

"Yeah...sorry."

Nami stood beside him, watching Zoro open the door wider to let him in with a "whatever" and lean on the door frame. He barely glanced at her, and with a sigh she realized she didn't care so much. Still hurt a little, though.

She huffed, turning to Luffy. "Goodnight. I'm officially worn out because of you."

"Shishishi!" Luffy waved, watching Nami wave back and turn to walk down the hall. He then slipped into the apartment and flounce onto the couch to grab a controller. Zoro, however, didn't move.

He quietly closed the door behind him, then called after the orange-haired twenty year-old. "Oi, Nami-wait up."

She begrudged herself for pausing, but did it automatically. Slowly, Nami turned around, and found with satisfaction that him advancing towards her did not send butterflies disgustingly fluttering about in her chest. She calmly waited for him to reach her, while he took his sweet time.

A ruthful grin spread across his face. "So..." he thumbed in the direction between her and the apartment door. "You and Luffy...?"

Nami was instantly on the defense, for some wierd reason. She crossed her arms. "Yeah-so?"

Zoro raised his hands, his grin slipping to just a smile. "Alright, I get it-it's fine, I'm really glad for you two."

His reassurance didn't keep Nami from scrutinizing his face. Well, he did seem...'glad'. She decided to lower her barbs a little.

"I mean," he continued. "I just always thought you hated him. And...does he even know what going out is...?"

The barbs were back up. Yet she hid them behind a smile. "Something you need, Zoro?"

Her green-haired ex shifted his weight back and forth, silently. Finally, he said, "Just making sure things were cool between us-we haven't talked since...you know, you broke up with me."

He said it very hurriedly, which made Nami frown. No, YOU haven't talked to ME since then. She flipped her hair and said casually, "I don't see why we wouldn't be okay."

He seemed relieved. Nami wasn't buying it. "Oh, great. Just wondering, because, well...you know that...I'm here if you need me, you know."

Nami nearly lost face to that, just as he leaned over and smiled.

"I mean...I'm ALWAYS here..."

She went completely silent, staring up at Zoro's hazy black eyes. His breath smelled like alcohol, which was normal, but today it was more pungent.

Nami couldn't see, but Luffy was leaned up against the door. He had put down his controller to listen in, his back on the peeling wood.

Zoro gently took a hold of her arm; he rubbed his thumb up and down it. "You know, if you still wanted me, I'd gladly come back. Me and Perona? Just comfort food-I really miss you, Nami..."

Nami felt something snap.

He was surprised when she gave him a deep frown and snatched her arm from his grip. As he blinked incredulously, she put on her most brilliant smile. "I don't know if you happen to remember, Zoro, but _I'm_ the one who ended _us_. And believe me, I think we're definitely through with each other. But hey-thanks for the offer."

While he still looked like a flabbergasted fish, she faked a yawn and stretched. "Wow, I think Luffy really wore me out. I'm heading back to my apartment...Glad we had this talk, Zoro!"

As she turned, Nami cringed at her last shot. Perhaps too excessive-still, it felt _damn_ good to say!

Zoro was left to watch in confusion as Nami swagger hurriedly off to the elevator. Finally, he snorted, grumbling under his breath as he sauntered back to his apartment. When he walked in, Luffy was lying on the couch with the t.v. on, snickering at some program aimed at much younger kids. For some reason, that only put the green-haired best friend in a darker mood. He slammed his half-finished beer into the garbage, then stalked to his bedroom to slam the door.

Meanwhile, at her apartment, Nami was just getting over the affects of what she had just done. A victorious grin spread across her face. She threw her hands up to ceremoniously spasm with joy at having finally told Zoro off. Her revelry, however, was cut short by the cellphone in her pocket suddenly vibrating. She dug it out and opened it.

A text from Robin greeted her-"How did it go?"

The smile across her face grew. She fingered her phone wordlessly, trying to think of an appropriate answer. Finally, she put: "It went...great!"

Nami closed her phone, grinning as she snuggled Biri and headed to her bedroom.

{The End.}

* * *

**A/N: Holy teacakes! I believe this fic has a moral:**

_**Don't date out of your closet friends group...unless you know what you're getting yourself into.**_

**Also:**

_**Tilt-a-Whirls cause romantic situations to happen. GUARANTEED.**_

**...Okay, maybe the last one wasn't a moral.**

**If I do continue this, I might just add the drabbles of ideas I had for this AU that I thought of at the end. Such as Sanji appearing at the fair and suddenly seeing Nami with Luffy in the ferris wheel, or Zoro's (or Luffy's, because I think both of their behavior's need to be explained) POV about this whole thing, or maybe about Franky and Robin's date. Just put them all together in one last chapter, for random purposes. Because I like random-purposed chapters.**

**Thanks for reading, dear reader! Here's a cookie-ignore the 'please review' iced in blue icing on one side if you like...no I'm not trying to pressure you into flaming me again, what are you saying? Really...**

**The very idea.**


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